Heroes of Flight 93 Honored 25 Years After 9/11: ‘I Can’t Ever Thank Them Enough’
Flight 93 heroes remembered at Pennsylvania memorial. Families, survivors honor passengers who prevented disaster.
POLICY WIRE — Shanksville, Pennsylvania — Every year, over 300,000 visitors travel to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to pay tribute to the 40 individuals who perished when the plane crashed on September 11, 2001.
Gordon Felt, brother of one of the victims, attended a ceremony at the memorial to commemorate the anniversary. He shared how his brother’s final moments and those of the other passengers and crew represent a story of bravery that deserves to be told.
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Felt recalled standing near the crash site just hours after the event, using flight data to trace the plane’s path from Cleveland, Ohio, to Shanksville. His instinct led him to believe something extraordinary had occurred in the sky above him. “The good guys won that day,” he said. Passengers and crew had taken action to stop the terrorists, preventing the plane from reaching its intended target, likely the U.S. Capitol.
Paul Pisano, who was working at the Capitol on 9/11, reflected on the impact of the passengers’ actions. If they hadn’t acted, it’s horrific to think about, he said. At the memorial, he paused before the Wall of Names, expressing deep gratitude for their sacrifice. I can’t ever thank them enough.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
